Last Day

Today is the last day and night at the residency. This evening, I will give a talk on my work, followed by a restaurant celebration, then off to Indiana in the morning. I was sad for it to be over, except that Saturday-past marked (unbeknownst to me) the last day I would have a hot shower. I have made three attempts at the cold shower since then, but today I just couldn't make myself do it, public speaking engagement or not. I have been meaning to get my hair cut, so today, I will be paying someone to wash my hair.

Public speaking engagement rule #3 will be broken tonight: never do any drastic personal hygiene/appearance adjustments within 48 hours of an event (or job interview). These include facials, waxing, hair-dying, sunbathing/fake tanner, and new haircuts. It probably includes other things I would never do, like plastic surgery, giving birth, and becoming a nudist. I got my eyebrows waxed 36 hours before a job interview once, just long enough to have a really good, self-consciousness-inducing rash in time for my spotlight.

I have been planning this haircut for months, and because I don't trust salons in Indiana to not give me a mullet, I was saving it for New York. (Not to say that is what salons in Indiana WOULD do, but I do have trust issues.) I am really excited about my haircut, but if it turns out to be a disaster, I will be dealing with my emotional fallout from it in front of a room of gaping faces.

That said, I hear you asking what rules #1 and 2 are. There are many rules to public speaking, but for your personal growth, I will give you the first two. #1 is show up early, but do not announce your presence until under five minutes before the engagement (if you have to set up equipment and sound check, fine, but then leave and don't come back until the five minute mark). #2 is to be nervous, then do ten to twenty jumping jacks right before, so your blood is pumping, your checks are healthy, your nerves are slightly diluted, but not so you are out-of-breath. Sounds funny, but trust me. #3, no crazy spa treatments, like I said.

Yes, I did mention the hot water problem to the building folks. No, the problem wasn't fixed.

*Update* Apparently, the gas was shut off, and in old buildings, sometimes you don't turn something off because it might not turn on again! Parts had to be tracked down, and the morning after-- a hot shower!